Tuesday, February 16, 2010

With over a month having passed since the horrific earthquake in Haiti, much remains unchanged. On one hand, things are much worse for the children of Haiti as you will learn from the video clip below. I hope you are surprised and motivated by what you learn...I was!

On the other hand, hope rises! Friends of ours oversee sponsorship and mission projects for orphans in Haiti through their organization Servants for Haiti. Tremendous news reached them about revival in Haiti. A portion of this letter is pasted below. Please pray and consider the big picture presented below and ask God to show you what He wants you to do...

News of hope rises from the rubble: part of an email received from Haiti dated 14 February

"Hello from joyous Haiti:

We have been hearing rumors that President Preval said on the radio on Friday that he has become a Christian. W-- told me he heard the president say this on the radio. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!

In Haiti that means to accept Jesus as his Savior and turn away from Voodoo which in Haiti may mean turning away from the Catholic Church. The reason for this is that Voodoo and Catholic are so deeply entwined in Haiti that it is hard to separate one from the other. Even one of the Catholic popes refused to accept Haitian Catholics because of their involvement in Voodoo.

90% of Haitians are fasting and praying and seeking the Lord for 3 days. Everything is closed. churches are so full you can't get everyone inside. People are singing and praying all day long. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!

Haiti is having REVIVAL!!!!!!"

A Call to Action from the CEO of our adoption agency AWAA:

"Dear Friends:

On January 12 in the course of only 2 minutes thousands of Haitian children became orphans. Without a say in the matter, these children became part of a global crisis – an estimated 30 million children growing up without parents – vulnerable to slavery, prostitution, gangs, exploitation, and trafficking. These children need loving, permanent families, yet our government has no focus on permanent family care for children worldwide. We must create change now to help children worldwide grow up with parents!

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee have before them The Families for Orphans Act; a bi-partisan bill that would create a State Department office and more importantly an “Orphan Champion/Advocate” specifically to speak up for these children. This Champion and the Office would build capacity in countries to enable families to raise their children at home instead of putting them in orphanages, and reunite kids currently living in orphanages with a safe family member or adopted by loving parents in their own country. The bill also includes inter-country adoption as part of the solution when it is determined to be in the best interest of the child and a permanent family is not available domestically.

What can you do?

1.Call, write a letter or e-mail to your Members of Congress asking them to become Co-Sponsors of the Families for Orphans Act. You can find your Representative at www.house.gov and your Senators at www.senate.gov. Feel free to use the following text as a guideline:

“As one of your constituents I am requesting that you support the “Families for Orphans Act” and become a Co-Sponsor of the legislation now. Many of the tragedies involving Haitian orphans would not have happened if we had had better global support for permanent family care for orphans in countries in need. We hope you will consider standing up for the millions of children around the world growing up in orphanages without the love and support of a permanent family. For information on becoming a Co-Sponsor, please contact Senators Landrieu or Inhofe or Representatives Watson or Boozman.”

2.Sign the Families for Orphans Act petition on the Kidsave website, www.kidsave.org.

Please help us move this bill NOW and give children worldwide a greater chance to grow up with a mom and dad. On behalf of America World Adoption, the Families for Orphans Coalition and most importantly, the children, we thank you for helping.

THE WALROND FAMILY

Welcome to our blog! We pray you are blessed by what you read and that the Lord will be glorified! In July 2009, we welcomed home our daughter, Olivia Xin Rui, from Shaanxi Province, China. We are currently preparing to bring another little one home from China in 2012---a son, Shane Zhi Suo---from Yunnan! Our journey of faith continues to be a testimony to the faithfulness of our mighty God!

Precious Blessings

Tom and Susie...31 years and deeper in love!

SHANE

Our newest little man...such a sweet spirit!

OLIVIA

Olivia...our energetic four year-old!

LAUREN

Our budding missionary...heading on her fourth journey this summer with Kayla.